Processing W-2s is one of the most important and burdensome requirements businesses face every year. It is the time of year many payroll administrators dread for obvious reasons.

Making a mistake on an employee’s W-2 not only puts the business at risk of costly fines and penalties, but also creates a great deal of extra work to fix.

In addition to the liability issues when processing W-2s there is also the matter of effort needed to print forms, preparing them for mailing, and the costs incurred completing the whole process.

Complete W-2 eFiling services can eliminate most of the pain associated with processing W-2s in-house. In the past, these services were provided by payroll service providers and were often very expensive. The addition of complete eFile services to many payroll software solutions, has made this option very affordable, and offers significant efficiencies to small businesses.

What to look for in an eFile solution.

When determining whether a complete W-2 eFile solution is the right choice for your business, there are several features to look for.

1. The solution should be native to your payroll solution and automatically convey your payroll data directly from your payroll entries. Manual entry of your payroll data opens the door to transcription errors and lost time trying to locate and fix errors.
2. solution should include automated error checking that complies at minimum the standards set by Accuwage and eVerify.
3. It should provide the ability to save a history file of each filing and the ability to print file copies if desired.
4. It should include all filings required: Federal copies and State copies including the Federal W-3 and any state reconciliation forms required.
5. It should automatically print and mail employee copies directly to your employees
6. It should also host employee copies to a password-protected website so terminated employees who have change addresses can access their copy and print it as needed.

Additional features to look for.

Outside of the minimum requirements listed above there are several other features that provide benefits and efficiencies.

1. It should provide the ability to schedule when your employee copies are mailed, when your Federal filings are made, when your State copies are filed, and the ability to make corrections at no charge up until the filings are made. Often times when the employees receive their W-2s they recognize a change that needs to be made. The ability to file a corrected Federal and State filing prior to their submission date will save the need for W-2 Cs or other additional forms.
2. It should allow you to review all employee data in a spreadsheet format, which allows easy editing, and the simple entry of additional information required such as third party healthcare.
3. It should include forms for all states that require W-2s and all US territories.
4. You should be able to find testimonial evidence from customers who have used the solution with your native payroll solution.
5. The solution should have at least 3 years of history in providing this solution to assure that the solution is a mature and well-tested product.

Cost.

Finally, the service must be affordable. Typical in-house cost of processing W-2s is from $3.85 to $4.35 per employee. This cost includes processing time, forms, envelopes, and postage.

A fair price for a complete service solution should be below the lower limit of in-house costs.

Let our customers tell you themselves! Here are the top ten reasons to be a Red Wing Software customer.

1. Forward technology:

   “I am so proud to know that you all work diligently to make your program the best. Please keep up the good work and thank you all so much.” Pamela, from Marked Tree, Arizona

2. Industry leadership:

   “The Red Wing organization is a consistent and dependable leader in business systems.” Doug, of Goodland, Indiana

3. Bigger companies aren’t always better:

   “Thanks for a very efficient, easy to understand and use system that has more accurate, up to date features than a large, very large, corporation has to offer.” Sarah, from Tecumseh, Nebraska

4. Reasonable price:

   “CenterPoint Payroll′s feature set was appealing for its cost, which was a large motivator for us,” Aaron says, “It′s a feature-rich program at a reasonable cost.” Aaron, from Milbank, South Dakota

5. Makes your job easier:

   “Navigating around in CenterPoint Payroll is really easy. Compared to the older payroll system we were using, it is much easier to complete tasks like looking up employees or other information when I need it. Being able to access this information more quickly saves significant time!” Pam, of Fairmont, Minnesota

6. A partner to your business.

   “I want to acknowledge your company for being so supportive. I think you′re doing a great job and I know I can count on you if I have questions or technical issues. Thank you.” Erin, from Mountlake Terrace, Washington

7. Saves you time:

   “We are extremely pleased that we complete the payroll process about forty percent faster with CenterPoint Payroll than with our previous software.” Garry, from Miller, South Dakota

8. We don’t do high pressure sales.

   “I was especially impressed with our sales rep, Matt. Instead of just giving us the answers we wanted to hear, Matt dug in and researched to find us the right answer, even with our more challenging requirements. I appreciated his hard work and honesty—it was a very painless process.” Todd, from Taylor, Texas

9. Excellent technical support:

   “We got WAY more than our money′s worth with the Customer Care Technical support plan that we purchased,” Rae Ann, from Plover, Wisconsin

10. Saves you significant money:

    “We estimate the money we’ll save by making the switch from a service to CenterPoint to be about $10,000 per year.” Jeanette, from Racine, Wisconsin

The shipping department: probably not the most profitable department of your entire company. No wonder so many companies decide not to put a computer back there -- just another added expense. Not only does the computer cost money, but then there is the upkeep to hardware and software as time goes on. On the other hand, adding a computer to the shipping area might just be one way to add more profits and streamline processes. What most businesses don’t consider is the amount of efficiency they will gain by adding a computer to the shipping department. Here are some time and money saving functions you can achieve by adding a computer in your shipping department.

• Using the accounting software or order entry system, the shipping department knows which orders need to be shipped without the office having to print a copy of the order and manually bring it back to them.
• The shipping department can document on their computer how many of each item they actually ship, and they can also print a packing slip to put in the box. This saves from having to tell the office what will ship and then wait for them to print the packing slip, or having the office print a packing slip and the shipping department hand-writing changes on it.
• Because the shipping department is documenting on their computer how many are shipped, there is no need for them to remember to tell the office that they weren’t able to ship all quantities, so invoicing is consistently more accurate.
• Shipping charges are more accurate, since the shipping department is able to put actual shipping costs on the order while they fill it. This also allows the invoice to be finalized quicker.
• By having the shipping department fill orders on the computer in accordance with what shipped, inventory is deducted as soon as it’s shipped, as compared with being deducted when the office gets the paperwork. The office can pull up the shipped orders on the computer and see exactly what shipped or which items may need to be put on backorder.
• All of these functions result in orders being filled more promptly, which means the invoice is ready to go to the customers more quickly, which in turn may lead to quicker payments from customers.

If the above functions fit for your company, you might want to try adding a computer to the shipping department and see if your processes can be streamlined. All of the steps saved can really add up over a year. Streamlining the process gives your office/sales people more time to sell and allows the shipping department to more efficiently complete their tasks.

Remember when payroll was processed by hand and tax forms were typed up on a manual typewriter? Well, as you know those days are long gone. Payroll software companies emerged, and software has since evolved into an indispensable tool for companies processing payroll. Instead of calculating deductions by hand, the software does it for you each time payroll runs are calculated. Instead of writing out checks, you simply print them from your computer. And no more worrying about tax calculations since the software computes them for you. Most businesses will attest to the fact that payroll software has made their lives much easier. However, a much more complex issue is finding a system that is right for your business. There is a wide variety of companies that produce and distribute payroll software. Here are some main differences among them, to help you choose the right company and software for your business.

Pricing Structure

Not all payroll software pricing structures are created equal. Some products seem affordable at the start, but quickly become expensive when you realize you need to purchase additional modules to go along with the software. Before you purchase anything, be sure to ask for a comprehensive quote for the first year, and the year after. Ask your sales representative to include things that are often forgotten: direct deposit, electronic tax filing, multiple state tax calculations, multiple companies, multiple users, support, training, and enhancements. Pricing for software can be complex, and varies greatly among software vendors. It is important to consider your needs at the start and get a comprehensive quote, so there won’t be huge surprises later.

Support and Training

Most payroll software companies provide support for their customers. A wide range of support methods exist, including telephone, e-mail, online, community forums, and more. Training may be provided in live classes in person or via the internet. Some companies provide learning documents and videos on their site for their customers to learn at their own pace; other companies even give the option of onsite training. Think about which method of support and training you prefer, and ask your vendor if they offer that method. Since there is a great variation of support and training options, you will be surprised what some companies offer that others don’t! Be sure to inquire about the cost of these options as well, since some companies include it in one cost, and others charge additional fees.

Software Upgrades and Enhancements

Payroll software companies must keep their products current due to ongoing state and federal tax rate changes, changing payroll regulations, and more. Many software companies also make ongoing improvements to enhance the function of their programs. How can your business get those changes? Some companies charge separately for them, and some include them in one price. Be sure to find out the costs of upgrades and enhancements, since you will need them both at some point. The least you will need for payroll processing are the tax updates, so be sure to get that information ahead of time.

Payroll software companies definitely offer a wide variety of options when it comes to pricing, support and training, upgrades and enhancements. Dig deeper and get the details on these options before purchasing your new Payroll software, so there won’t be surprises as time goes on.

Have you seen this new icon popping up on the Web sites you visit and also in the Google search results? In case you were wondering, this is the new Google +1 button. According to Google, the +1 button is shorthand for "this is pretty cool" or "you should check this out." When you are signed in to your Google account, you will see this button appear next to organic and paid search results, and you may also see it on the Web sites you visit. By clicking on the icon, you are letting others know that you approve of the page or search result. You are also letting Google know that you have given that search result or Web site your vote of confidence, which Google in turn takes into consideration within the placement of search results. You will see the +1 icon on the Red Wing Software home page, next to our other social networking icons. If you like us, why not give a click on the +1 button? We sure appreciate it!